Bonfire Heart
by FireSmiley
Summary: "You can create fire? Can you control it as well?" - "Most of the time. Unless I get scared. Or angry. Or any other kind of emotional." But that's exactly what happens when Jessica Ferro meats Pyro. Even worse, she's falling for him. Will she be able to control her mutation or will she end up burning down the school? Read to find out. Pyro/OC. Set during X2.
1. Slightly Burned

**Hello everyone! Welcome to my new X-Men fanfiction. Just so you know, the text in _italics_ is Bonfire's thoughts. I really hope you're all gonna enjoy it! So, just read and review :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-MEN!**

**Bonfire Heart**

**Slightly Burned**

There is fire everywhere. Flickering on the dull grey carpet floor, burning holes into the soft velvet couch and licking at the heavy curtains._ This is all my fault. There is no point denying it._ I turn around desperate to find something to extinct the ravaging flames, but they only increase at my touch. My skin should have been burned and blistered from the heat, but it isn't. The fire doesn't hurt me. I don't even feel the heat_._

_How did I manage to set everything on fire this time? Because I'm a freaking idiot. Because I lost control. Like a bloody amateur. Because those idiots told me I was expelled and made me angry. Stupid people_.

Suddenly there is screaming. Wild, frantic screaming, shrill and panicked. The screaming grows louder and louder, piercing my ears.

* * *

My eyes snap open. But I immediately squeeze them shut again. There is bluish white light everywhere. _I'm not dead, am I? No. If I was my head wouldn't be hurting like hell._ I sit up too quickly, making it worse. "What the… Where am I? Is this a plane?" I try to remember. Without success.

The walls are all steal and there's a ton of crazy-looking equipment up front in the cockpit. But what really catches my attention is the weird woman sitting on the cot right across from mine. Her skin is a soft and flawless like melted chocolate. Well, that's not what's weird about her. It's her hair that somewhat… surprises me. It's a snowy shade of white even though she seems to be quite young. _Definitely weird_.

"Who are ya?" My voice sounds rough and raspy when I speak. It might also have sounded rude, but manners never were my strong suit, so who cares.

She certainly doesn't. Smiling she says, "I am Storm, a teacher at Xavier's School for gifted youngsters."

My eyes widen in shock as the memory comes flooding back. They told me I was expelled, so I got angry and set fire to the school. With a swish of my hand. Now, I would probably have figured out then I was in trouble just then, even if those people hadn't showed up and told me. And even though I've got no idea as to why they would be helping me, they somehow managed to extinct the flames and get me out of the school before the cops started swarming 'round. _No idea how_.

My shock must have been very obvious on my face, because Storm gives me a sympathetic look and says, "Don't worry. You'll be safe there."

I frown, not remembering what exactly I need to be safe of. I feel like this is something I should be aware of, though. "Safe of what?" I ask, knitting my eyebrows.

A look of concern flickers over Storms face. "Of people who might want to harm you. We recently had some problems with a man doing experimentation on mutants. He's no longer operational but that doesn't mean there aren't others wishing to do the same." I nod. _Seems legit_.

"And you're a teacher at this… school?" I can't keep the disgust out of my voice. I'm not exactly fond of teachers. Or schools, for that matter.

"I am." Storm confirms my suspicions.

Though, thinking about it, she certainly doesn't look like a teacher. At least not like the ones I've had. She is too young, too pretty and nowhere near snobbish enough. Indeed, the only thing she seems to have common with a teacher is, that she seems to get annoyed with my asking questions, but that's not gonna stop me. Never has. "Where is this school you're talking about anyway?"

Storm sighs, "Westchester, New York." I stare. I've never even heard of Westchester, but I know New York is hella far away from away from Bakersfield, California; and that's where I live.

Then I figure, since we're on such a long journey, I should probably concentrate on more substantial matters. "So… what about food?" To my surprise it's not Storm who answers. Instead, I hear a loud grunt from the cockpit and turn to see a sheer mountain of muscle. "See, Storm! I told you she would be hungry! I told you we should have brought some of those coconut puffs Rogue made!" The man speaking looks like a bodybuilder – except hairier – and is porting VERY prominent sideburns.

Storm rolls her eyes at me. "And lucky I listened to you and packed some." My mood brightens instantly as she throws a bag at me. It is filled to the top with delicious, slightly burnt puffs. Not waiting for an invitation I dig in like I'd never see food again.

Between two especially delicious bites I find the time to ask, "Who's Rogue?"

Due to my full mouth it might have sounded more like "how rock?" but Storm seems to understand anyway. "She's a fellow mutant, about your age." I nod silently. About my age. People usually think that means sophomore, but in fact I'm almost 19. I'm just short, not young.

* * *

I zoned out at some point during the following conversation (Storm tells me about ALL the mutants and ALL their powers) and then I must have fallen asleep. Because the next thing I know is a squelching feeling in my gut. The plane is landing.

When we get off, I can hardly keep from gaping. That ivy-covered mansion is HUGE. At least twice as large as my old school. And the grounds around it are even bigger. The jet's pilot (whom Storm introduced as Logan/Wolverine) grins at me. "Nice, ain't it?" he says.

My awe fades away though as soon as we enter the building. All the walls are covered in wooden paneling. I gulp. If I lose control in here, this place's gonna burn like hell. Not exactly the best place to stay for a mutant who keeps accidently setting fire to her own charcoal hair.

After walking through a maze of corridors, we finally stop in front of a pair of large wooden doors. The brass sign next to them spells, PROFESSOR C. XAVIER, PRINCIPAL. I scowl, remembering my last meeting with a school official. But I guess, since I technically haven't been in yet, he can't really expel me already, now can he?

We enter a room that looks to me like a smaller version of Oval Office. A bald man in a pricy-looking suit is sitting in a wheelchair behind the desk. "Hello, Jessica," He has a deep, calming sort of voice, sounding kinda like Captain Picard from Star Trek. I still frown though. No one's called me Jessica for quite a while now. It feels sort of weird. "This is a school for mutants. You are welcome to stay here for as long as you like," _It's not like I have a choice_, I think, _if I leave, I'll probably be charged for arson. Or murder, more likely_. "You are free to leave at any time, but I would advise you to think about safety first. No one will harm you here, and you will be able to learn how to control your powers."

I flinch. The professor didn't even move his lips and yet I could clearly hear his voice. Inside my head. "I am telepathic, Jessica. No need to be afraid," His calming voice does little to quench my fear. I stare at him, eyes widened and nostrils flared. Even though I am very much freaked out, I am not going to back down. It's just not what I do. _If you are then, stop calling me Jessica. My name is Bonfire! Everyone calls me that,_ I think. Xavier smiles, "Logan, Storm, I would like to tell you, that Jessica, here, would prefer to be called Bonfire,"

I am so taken aback by this pronouncement that I forget all my fear and simply stare at the man. "I take it that you are going to stay with us then," The professor smiles at me, "Storm will show you your room."


	2. Seared Off

**Hi everyone! I hoped you liked the first chapter. I know I didn't get any reviews just yet, but I figured, that's because Pyro didn't Show up so far. So... here he goes :D Hope you like it :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-MEN! [If I did I wouldn't be writing this, now would I?!]**

**Bonfire Heart**

**Seared off**

Storm leads me up a wide mahogany staircase to the upper floors. "Usually you would sleep in the dorm with the other girls, but since you tend to set things on fire even while you're asleep, you get your own room," She explains, "It's fireproof." I can hardly keep myself from cheering. Never – in my whole life – have I owned my own room. _This is just so awesome_.

But then something else comes to my mind. "Wait a sec. I didn't set anything on fire while I was asleep on the jet, did I?" I usually don't ever feel guilty, but these people keep being so nice to me I almost can't help it.

Storm smiles at me, "No worries, we managed to put them out" I bite my lip, glad that my new room is fireproof.

Storm leaves me at a door right at the end of the second floor corridor. Bidding me goodnight, she tells me to get a little sleep. Entering the room however, the thought is driven clear out of my mind. The room itself is small, but for someone who's lived on the streets and in crappy orphanage dorms all their life, it's just plain luxury. It even has an adjoining private bathroom. I turn around to say thank you, but Storm's already left. Shrugging my shoulders I decide to take a shower. Since I practically slept through the whole flight, I'm not exactly tired anyway.

When I get back out of the shower, the luminescent green alarm clock tells me it's already after two o'clock at night. I'm still not tired, but my stomach feels like it's about to digest itself without food. Figure, I should go and find something to eat.

Quietly, I open the door and peek out. The whole corridor is dark, but I see soft light shining from downstairs. I slip through the door and tiptoe down the stairs as fast as I can without causing too much noise. _No need to wake everyone up just yet_.

As I reach the first floor, I realize I have no clue where the kitchen is. Bluish light from a TV is shining through an open door to my left, so I figure that's not where I'm headed. Instead, I turn to walk further down the corridor. Even with that one eliminated, there's still an awful lot of doors to choose from. _Rich people just don't like building simple houses, do they?_

Picking a door at random, I find myself in a water closet. Not exactly what I've been looking for. I turn back and open the next door. _A broom closet – seriously? That door was fancier than the main entrance of my last orphanage!_ It takes another five tries until I finally manage to find the kitchen. "Gosh, finally!" I mutter under my breath navigating around a kitchen block the size of a small yacht. The fridge matches. It is ginormous, and filled to the top with everything from burritos to tsatsiki. In other words, it's heaven.

I don't take long to decide on what to eat. Pancakes. With maple syrup. _Yum!_ It says KITTY on the aluminum wrapper, but I really don't give a damn. First, because I'm hungry and I really want pancakes right now, and second, because Kitty will never figure out who ate them anyway. Unless of course she's telepathic. I snort at the thought. _How many telepaths d' you think this place can hold, girl?_

I wolf down the pancakes in next to no time and decide it's time to go back to my room and finally get some sleep. When I reach the hallway, though, I realize that's not gonna happen any time soon. Mostly, because I've got no clue where to find my room in the first place. I sigh. _Well crap, this isn't how it's supposed to work!_ As always when I don't know what to do, I turn back to the source of food. The fridge. It might not be particularly effective, but I open it up to look in it for inspiration, anyway.

Suddenly, there's a small clicking noise in the room behind me. Tensing instantly, I whip around. My eyes are still accustomed to the light of the fridge, so technically I don't see a thing, but I can definitely hear somebody moving around the room. "Ey, someone there?" I call out. No answer, obviously. I can literally feel the heat crawling down fingers changing the color of my fingernails from bright orange to dark red. _Dang it, I really hope this kitchen's also fireproof_. Remembering the wooden paneling, though, that wish is probably not gonna come true.

Another click-snap noise brings my thoughts back to the more immediate problem, though. I squint into the darkness, somewhat annoyed at the fact that someone can evade me like that. "Hell, if someone's in here just show yourself. Preferably, before I burn down the school!" I snap into the blackness before me. For a moment, nothing happens and I almost start to feel stupid for talking to an empty room, but then there's another soft clicking and a bright golden light bursts into life right in front of my face. I jump backwards. _Dart, how could anyone come so close without me noticing?!_

"Are you lost?" The voice draws my attention away from the lighter and to the face behind it. A guy, about my age, slightly taller than me, brown hair, grey eyes, lean with muscle. Handsome enough.

But not so handsome, that I would forget his question. "Why would you care?" I growl sullenly. If I learned one thing during those two years I lived on the streets, it is to never trust a strange guy you meet in the middle of the night and who asks if you're lost. It's bad for your health. And for his, if you're a mutant.

Mr. Zippo, on the other hand, doesn't seem to be bothered by my hostility. In fact, he seems more egged on than anything else. An evil sneer starts spreading over his face and when says, "You are lost." This time, it is not a question.

I glare at him. "And what the hell makes you think that?" I snap.

He merely shrugs. "Your passive aggressive reaction, the fact that you opened seven doors before finding the kitchen," _What the… is he stalking me?! How did I not notice that? _"That you couldn't find the way back, you're the new gal, and," He pauses, moving the lighter further up to illuminate more of my body. His eyebrows rise as he gives me a slow onceover. _Yes, I know I'm hot. No need to have your eyes pop outta your head_. Then a sly smirk starts creeping onto his face. "Well, you've got boobs."

I stare. "How's THAT connected to me being lost?" I ask incredulously.

Another shrug. "The pretty girls usually are," He says, leering steadily at… well, not my face, obviously. I glare silently at him for a moment, not knowing whether to be pleased at the compliment, or pissed at the insult.

Unfortunately, that moment of hesitation gives Zippo time to come up with another question, "Well, Hottie, what's your name than?"

I give him an icy look – or at least at icy as it gets when you're technically a fire bender. "Someone who's gonna sear off your eyebrows if you annoy me." I snarl.

Zippo snorts. "I'd like to see you trying!" _Is that a challenge? I think it is a challenge_.

Smiling smugly, I snap my fingers. Instantly, my thumb catches on fire. "As for the name," I say, swirling the flame around in my palm. "They call me Bonfire," I flatten out my hand and the flames condense, turning into a ball of liquid fire. _Zippo stares. Those eyes are gonna pop out after all_. I smirk. _You didn't expect that, did you? _"What about yours?" I ask, tossing the flaming ball into the air and catching it with my other hand. Though nobody seems to believe it of late, I can control fire. Just not the emotions that make me set it.

As it turns out two seconds later, I'm not the only one though. Mr. Zippo's eyes snap back up to my face and he sneers. _Uh oh, not good_. When I throw the fireball into the air once more, he snatches it from me like it was nothing more than a baseball. "Pyro," he says smugly. "That's what they call me."


	3. Cold Smoke

**Hi guys! Here's the thrid chapter. Some more Pyro and also some more fire in it. And PLEASE REVIEW! I'm not Porfessor X, guys, I can't read you're minds, so you Need to tell me what you think!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-MEN! [Did anyone actually think that anyways?!]**

* * *

**Bonfire Heart**

**Cold Smoke**

For a moment, my brain freezes. All I see is Pyro, toying with the fireball, tossing it from one hand to the other. When my thoughts come crashing back, though, panic is the one who comes out on top. Setting my own hair on fire without wanting to, I stumble backwards, bumping against the refrigerator. "You're… you're a fire tamer!" I splutter out before I get a grip on myself. _Stupid girl! Don't show him you're scared!_

Pyro smirks, stepping closer. "Didn't expect that, did you, Firework?"

I glower at him. If there is one thing I hate, it's people getting my name wrong. "It's Bonfire. Not firework!" I hiss.

Pyro scoffs, "Oh sorry. I was so distracted my you're smoldering tits, I guess I mixed things up a little." He sneers and a sinking feeling hits my gut. I swear I don't blush. It's not what I do. But I do shoot a worried glance down my front only to find out that my hair isn't the only thing accidently catching on fire. _Well, crap_.

I force myself to take a deep, steadying breath and concentrate. losing my eyes, I will the fire to dissipate. It takes a while, but slowly the glowing-embers look disappears and my skin turns back to its normal dark tan. Only when I regained control I turn back to Pyro.

To my extreme displeasure it turns out he stepped closer, while I had my eyes shut, invading my private space. Indeed, he's not just doing that. He's cornering me against the fridge. Now, it's not like I'm not used to close proximity with guys, only usually I'm the one in control. Not this time, though. Pyro is so close I can smell his aftershave, which sadly isn't ridiculous, but manly. But there's something else. A faint odor of cold smoke. Of course it might just be because my own hair usually smells like coal dust, but somehow I can't help but find his smell… attractive.

Even as the thought crosses my mind, a stray spark escapes my right index finger and I have to concentrate hard to fight down the heat newly building in my hands. Pyro chuckles, "You can't control it."

I glare. "O' course I can!" I snap at him. _Seriously, just because I OCCASIONALLY set parts of my body on fire, doesn't mean I'm a total amateur!_

He cocks an eyebrow at me. "Wanna bet?"

I perk up. "What do I get if I win?" I ask instantly. I might not be a particularly successful one, but I've always been a bit of a gambler. Once, I even ended up having to set a teacher's blazer on fire, because I lost. Not the worst thing that ever happened.

Pyro shrugs, his jacket brushing against my stomach. "Anything. You can choose," _Man, I really like that_. "But if I win," he continues, "I get to kiss you." _Dang it, knew there was a catch somewhere_. Still, I can choose…

"Deal!" I say, before my mind can catch up on the stupidity of the whole action. _How much can go wrong, really? I mean, I can brand a whole herd of cattle all at the same time. This can't be any harder, now can it?_

Two seconds later, it turns out it can. Pyro steps forward, fully closing the distance between us and pinning me against the fridge with his body. I can feel the hard muscle underneath his shirt and my own heart hammering against it. Also, he is a lot hotter than your average teenage guy. And yes, I do mean that literally.

All this adds up to a combination that makes the heat in my hands flare up once more, turning my fingernails red. I suck in an astonished breath, making Pyro smirk. He lifts a hand to my chin, forcing me to look him in the eye as the other one finds its way to my waist.

_Dart! Not improving my odds there. _For a split second, I'm tempted to just set my hand on fire and slam it into Pyro's face. He seems to guess my thoughts though. "Don't even try. You're just gonna light the whole school on fire." He purrs, pressing me harder against the fridge.

The fire underneath my skin roars up, making my hands grow hot. The air between my fingers starts cracking with sparks and my nails start glowing.

I would probably have lost control that very moment. Would. If there hadn't been crashing noise in the hallway, making us both jump a foot into the air. Luckily, this increase of distance between us is enough to make the fire inside me die down somewhat. A smug smile creeps onto my lips. _Good. Very good indeed_.

Pyro on the other hand looks miffed. He points a finger at me accusingly. "We're not done yet." he affirms before disappearing into the dark.

"Wait," I call after him, "How am I supposed to find back to my room?!" No answer. _Great. How come I always end up with the asshole guys?_

I contemplate lighting a finger to find Pyro, but an angry roar in the corridor makes me think better of it. "Cyclops!" That's Wolverine yelling to wake up the whole school. "Where the hell are you, laser pointer!?" He sounds pissed. Better not get his way.

* * *

The next morning dawns bright and clear. Or at least as bright and clear as it gets in Westchester, NY. Back in California we would have called it rainy. _Damned weather_. Pulling a pillow over my head, I try to get back to sleep, but can't. Not with the voices and laughter ringing from the corridor. _Great. Does no one ever sleep at this place? _Groaning and stretching I get up and walk into the bathroom to take another shower. I don't bother to blow-dry my hair. The water evaporates anyways from the pulsing heat in my head.

When I reach the kitchen Logan's already waiting for me. Before I can even say good morning, he shoves a bowl of cereal into my hands and gives me a talking to. "Storm's waiting for you outside, so get a move on," Then he turns to the other people in the kitchen (one of them a bright, electric shade of blue), "Everyone, this is Bonfire. The girl I told you about. The one who burnt down her school." He looks amused at the very though, making me scowl at him. _Why did he have to mention that? It's bad enough without everyone knowing._

"So you can control fire?" A girl with a strange two-color hairstyle, who introduces herself as Rogue, asks.

"Not exactly," I admit, shoveling cereal into my mouth simultaneously. "I usually just kinda set it."

Logan gives me a slap on the back that sends me headlong into the table. Spilling milk and cereal all over the place. _Gosh, seriously?_ "That's why you're here, girl. To learn how to control you're power." I cough. _Sure if you think that's gonna help_.

Just then two teenagers walk into the kitchen. My eyes instantly latch onto the guy playing with a lighter. Pyro. Rogue waves them over. "Bonfire, meet Booby and Pyro." She says cheerily. I nod at the boys. Booby smiles, Pyro smirks. I glare back at him.

After breakfast I go out to the courtyard. Storm's already waiting for me. A small table with a candle on it is set up in the shade of the mansion. "I usually teach indoors, but since you're not supposed to burn anything down, I figured we'd better go outside." Storm explains as I sit down. My nose twitches in discomfort. _Why does everyone keep stressing that I can't keep control at times?_ It makes me feel as if I was a real danger. Like I was some kind of flamethrower, or something.

Storm doesn't seem to notice my discomfort though. Or at least she doesn't show it. "Now, what I want you to do is light the candle by merely concentrating on it," I give her a bleak are-you-actually-asking-this? kind of look. _Seriously, I'm not that much of an amateur! _When Storm only looks at me expectantly though, get down to business. This shouldn't be too hard. Not after setting fire to a whole school _without_ concentrating. I heave a huge sigh, giving the candle a weary look. Instantly, it lights up.

"Wow," Storm gasps, "You did that by merely looking at it?"

I give her an exasperated look. "I can do that without looking at it." I say grimly turning the wick on and off repeatedly a couple of times without so much as glancing at it.

Storm seems pretty darn impressed. For some reason I feel satisfied about proving my level of control. "Can you make it grow bigger?" she asks. I don't even bother to answer that. There's a blinding flash of light and an enormous flame shoots about 3 feet into the air, singeing Storm's eyebrows. _Oops. Should probably have warned her first_.

"Whoa, girl!" she waves away the smoke. "No need to burn down innocent people just to show off," I scowl. I'm not showing off. Well, maybe a little. Storm on the other hand seems confused. "You just proved that you have control. But then how come that school burnt down to nothing?"

My heart sinks. "It's hard to explain." I try shaking her off.

"Try it anyway." _Gosh, how I hate people who always have an answer to everything_.

I sigh and do so anyway. "You see, I can control flame," I say, forming a tiny fire dragon in my palm. "Except if I'm scared. Then I just set it randomly." Or any other time I get emotional. Though I sure as hell won't tell Storm about that.

"So were scared at the school?"

My face darkens. "No, I was angry. But still in control."

It takes a moment for the news to sink in. "You mean, you burnt down that school on purpose? Just because you were peeved?" Storm seems perfectly horrified at the prospect.

I shrug, though I know it's inappropriate. "It seemed like a good idea at the time," Seeing her expression, I hastily add, "In retrospect I should probably have contained the fire to the principal's office."

Storm stares at me for an entire minute before finally deciding that she won't be the one to solve this problem. Promising – or threatening – private classes with Professor X she sends me off.


	4. Firecracker

**Hey everyone! Finally, the next chapter! I've got it all written out on my computer but somehow I'm feeling too lazy to post it - just like some People are too lazy to review. Anyways, I hope you like it and that finally some one decides to leave comment.**

**Bonfire Heart**

**Firecracker**

As I walk back into the mansion I wonder what to do. Storm told me to go to class, but I don't see how that is possible since I don't have a schedule yet. _And believe me, I'm not gonna remind anyone to give me one either_. Due to lack of inspiration – and sense of direction – I end up in the kitchen. My stomach grumbles. Loudly. Well, this seems to be a lucky coincidence. Or maybe it was fait.

Grinning I make my way over to the fridge. It looks even bigger by day than it did last night. _If need be, one could surely lock someone inside_… I shake the thought away before it gets too explicit. _No locking people anywhere, girl. You're past that_.

To distract myself from more thoughts of the time I spent locked in closets at my first orphanage, I open the fridge to grab something to eat. At once my eyes latch onto an aluminum wrapper with the name KITTY spelled across it. I smirk, remembering last night's snack. I unwrap the foil to find that this Kitty has a thing for pancakes. This time they're with honey. Without thinking twice I dig in. It is delicious, until…

"You know those are Kitty's, right?" I whip around – pancake dangling from my mouth – and recognize Pyro, leaning against the counter behind me. _Dang it! How the freaking heck did he manage to sneak up on my TWICE?!_ "You can read it, right?"

"Course I can!" I snap. "But no one who calls herself Kitty can expect people to take her seriously. Besides," I add, taking another bite. "I was hungry."

Pyro snorts. "That, I can see." I scowl. Just because I like eating doesn't mean I'm fat or anything. Not the way he stared at me last night, anyways.

Before I can come up with an adequate retort though, there's a loud, girly kind of screech from behind me. I turn – pancake still in hand – to face whoever sounds like siren. The girl standing in the doorway is about my age and has THE most baby-like I've ever seen on anyone but a toddler. "You," she gasps, staring at me accusingly, "You're the one who keeps stealing my pancakes!"

"No, I'm not!" I deny, more out of habit than because I actually care.

Kitty lifts her eyebrows at me. "There's honey smeared all over your face and you're HOLDING a piece of pancake!"

"Okay, maybe. But it's your own fault if you keep leaving food over." Seriously, people who don't eat up piss me off. I spent four years on the streets, stealing and hungry and these people don't eat up the food they have.

Kitty opens and closes her mouth a couple of times but doesn't come up with a retort. _Typical good girl_. Finally, she decides to just grab the wrapper with the remaining pancakes and storm off. Through the wall. _What the hell?!_

Pyro chuckles. "That stunned you, didn't it, Firecracker? She's quite some gal, that Kitty." He adds, looking fondly at the piece of wall where the phaser disappeared.

I scowl, "Whatever," _How can he like her? How can ANYONE like her? She looks like Barbie's little sister, Shelly, damn it!_ I refrain from commenting, though. Pyro's ego is big enough without him thinking I was jealous – which I'm not, of course. Instead, I just sigh and ask, "Do I really have honey all over my face?"

Instantaneously, Pyro's expression changes from amusement to smugness. "Just a little," he says, stepping closer. "You want me to clean it off?" He's got me cornered again. _Well, dart_. On the upside, he doesn't have me pressed up against anything. On the downside, I can smell that aftershave and smoke again. I don't know if you've ever made mulled wine, but Pyro's smell is about as intoxicating. If not more so. It draws me in. Like light the moths. It turns my thoughts into lead and fills my brain with honey. Pyro's hands find their way to my waist and his thumbs slip underneath the hem of my shirt.

The heat inside flares up like a thousand firecrackers, cursing through my veins and down my arms. It stops short in my fingers though, not quite boiling over the edge. Quite. Now is the time to stop this. Now if ever. But I find myself not wanting to. Instead, I stand frozen, not wanting to withdraw, but unable to step closer.

Unfortunately, Pyro has a habit of using my hesitation for his advantage. When I'm least expecting it, he pinches me into the side, instantly startling me out of my trance. _What the heck?!_ I yelp with surprise, jumping a foot into the air. Regrettably though, desire and surprise don't make for a good combination and I lose control. A burst of flame escapes my mouth.

"Crap!" Luckily, the fire dissipates even before the curse leaves my mouth. That's not the only problem though. An evil smirk creeps onto Pyro's face. _Oh hell, this can't be good_.

Indeed, my worst suspicions are when he leans in close and whispers, "So, Fireball, seems like you lost our little bet. And that means that you owe me a kiss now." _Dang it. I so hoped that he'd forgotten about that_. How would he, though. I'm just too hot for guys to forget about stuff like that.

Obviously, Pyro doesn't wait for an invitation, but steps close immediately. He firmly places his hands on my hips and leans in close to… "Not here," I hiss, pushing him away. "And not now either!" _Holy crap, if I have to kiss this guy, I'm surely not gonna do it where everyone can see. His ego is two sizes too big already. _Besides, I lost control merely SMELLING him. Kissing Pyro would probably mean burning down the whole school.

Pyro – mainly guided by hormones at the moment, I'd guess – looks pissed. "What?" he snaps, glaring angrily at me. "Scared you're gonna be seen with me?"

I stare. "What the hell?" _Seriously, how do guys even come up with that kind of bullshit?_ "I don't mind being seen with you," Well, actually I do, but he needn't know that right now. "But I DO mind setting the kitchen on fire, so stop bitching around!" That shuts him up for good. _Good_. "Now," I say, "I'm gonna pay my dept. But with my conditions," That statement gets me a quirked eyebrow. I glare back. "Midnight. My room. Be there or be gone."

And with that, I storm off. Not through the wall like Kitty, but I'm pretty sure Pyro's still staring wistfully at my butt.


	5. Set Alight

**Hi everyone! Finally the next chapter. It took me so long becuase I thought nobody liked the story, since I wasn't getting reviews or anything. As it turns out, Gmail filtered them o.O So, sorry for not updating and THANK YOU SO MUCH to Shenak for being the first to review! This chapter is now officially for you :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-MEN or the song BONFIRE HEART!**

* * *

**Bonfire Heart**

**Set Alight**

At exactly 11:58 pm I'm lying on my bed, throwing a burning knife at the bull's eye I scorched into the ceiling. _This is shit_, I think. _How could I have been that stupid? _Inviting Pyro into my room. That was probably the dumbest idea I've ever had. Including that one time I set fire to a police station. I might not be able to set anything alight in here, but it will also make a thousand times easier for Pyro to set ME alight. And we don't want that, now do we? No. Any time I've got intimate with a guy, something terrible happened. Gosh, Marco spent MONTHS in hospital and Roy's probably gonna have those scares forever. Can't let that happen again. Not this time.

Just then, there's a knock on the door. _Crap_.

I sigh heavily and get up to open the door. Sure enough it's Pyro. "You're punctual." I say by matter of greeting. It's not a compliment.

Pyro smirks. "Well, I wouldn't want to miss this." He says, winking at me. That's the only warning I get before he snakes his arms around me and leans in.

"Whoa, not that fast! You gotta earn that!" I snap, twisting out of his grip. I also jump across to the other side of the bed for good measure. Better not risk anything with this guy.

Pyro sighs. "That's not how it works," he says giving me an exasperated look. "You can't just invite a guy into your room and then tell him not to kiss you. It's just not how it's done."

"Oh, really? Well, boy, you'd be surprised about what sort of things I do," He snorts and takes out his lighter at this, starting to flick it open and closed. Open and closed. Click and snap. Click snap. Click snap… the most annoying noise ever. "Why're you always doing that?" I ask irritably, remembering our first meeting. "Is that a tick or something?"

Pyro's expression instantly grows sober. _Ouch, seems like I hit a nerve there_. He flicks open the lighter again and stares at the flame. "I manipulate fire," he finally says after a long, tense silence. The flames swirls for a moment, before disappearing in a wisp of smoke. "But I can't create it." For some reason he sounds bitter about this. Well, if he is, it's pretty darn stupid of him.

"Be glad about it," I scoff, "I'd swap any time. Believe me, everything would be that much easier, if I didn't always randomly set things on fire," I pause, the anger fading from my voice. "Everybody wants the flame. They don't wanna get burnt." I try hard to keep the sadness and frustration out of my voice. I try and I fail. Pretty badly actually. _Oh screw it_.

I would have expected Pyro to scoff or sneer or even burst into laughter, but he doesn't. Instead, he gives me a quizzical kind of look. "I can't create it. You can't control it. Maybe we can help each other," I quirk a doubtful eyebrow at him. "I teach you how to control it. You…" He breaks off.

"Don't say I'm gonna replace your Zippo!" I exclaim, but can't suppress a laugh at the same time. This is way more helpful than anything Storm has done so far.

"Well," Pyro draws the word out to almost three times its natural length. "I wouldn't put like THAT, but basically… yes."

"Hey!" I punch his arm. Playfully, I might add. Not the burning-your-arm-off kind of punch, but more like the searing-a-hole-into-your-sleeve-just-for-the-fun-of-it kind. I flirt punch him, that's how it's called.

Or at least I try to. Because Pyro catches my wrist before I even get close to scorching a hole into his sweater. Not letting go of my arm, he leans in and whispers, "You still owe me though."

I sigh, trying my best to ignore the shivers that his hot breaths send down my spine. "And here I was, thinking you'd for–" That's about how far I get before Pyro takes charge. And by taking charge I mean kissing. Now, I've kissed guys before – some even without burning their tongues out – but, man, I swear, I've never kissed – no, been kissed – like that before.

Pyro's lips connect with mine hard. There is nothing shy about that kiss, either. Instead, it is harsh, rough and bold. Not kind or sweet, but fierce and full of desire. His lips are practically crushing mine, his tongue forcing its way into my mouth. _Gosh, this is so good! _Never ever have I been able to simply kiss a guy, without worrying that I might hurt him. The feeling of being able to do just that is just too good to be true.

Pyro's fingers dig into my arms almost painfully, but I'm enjoying this way too much to care. In fact, enjoying isn't quite the right word. Pyro's making my stomach swirl worse than a rollercoaster, making the fire inside me flare up, sending sparks running down my arms. My fingernails start glowing white hot and a burst of flame erupts at the tip of my tongue. _Yep, that's how I burn a guy's mouth_. Pyro pulls away, a light sneer on his lips. "Still not in control, Fire Fly." He chuckles.

I growl. _We'll see about that, Smokestack!_ With a great shove, I set Pyro off balance, making him fall backwards onto the bed. Before he can recover, I'm on top of him. This time I'm the one who does the kissing. And I don't wait for parts of my body to catch on fire either, but simply set my tongue alight on purpose. _Now, who said, I wasn't in control?_

Unlike anyone else though, Pyro doesn't jump back at the burning heat in his mouth. Instead, a low groan escapes his lips.

Then something unexpected happens. In the blink of an eye, Pyro flips us over, pinning me down on the bed. _So much for being in control_. A sneer spreads on his face as he grinds against me. This time, it's my turn to moan. "You like that, Firework, don't you?" _Hell, yes, I do_. It's just been way to long since I was last close with a guy. Pyro chuckles, apparently guessing the answer.

My temper flares at this and I'm actually contemplating setting his hair on fire, when something distracts me. A crashing noise outside in the hallway. Like glass breaking. "What was that?" I ask, tensing a little.

"I dunno," Pyro answers, leaning down again. "Who cares? Probably just Logan on the hunt for beer." With that he gets back to kissing. My neck. I immediately forget about the noise. Actually, I forget about everything. There's just Pyro, his lips against my skin and the fire suddenly running down my arms.


	6. Bursting into Flames

**Hey everyone! THANK YOU so much for the kind reviews, I'm so glad you like it! ... So, the next chapter's up! I hope you enjoy reading it even though is's really just to get the polt moving and not really detailing much between Pyro & Bonfire ;)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-MEN or the song BONFIRE HEART!**

* * *

**Bonfire Heart**

**Bursting into Flame**

If it was me it could have gone on forever. Probably also if it was for Pyro, but someone apparently isn't sharing that opinion. Just as Pyro's mouth leaves my neck to travel downwards from my collarbone, a loud screech shatters the air.

It is unlike anything I've ever heard – and let me just add, I don't regret that. I don't Need to hear anything like that ever agian. Shrill, piercing and excruciatingly painful, it feels like it's about to tear my eardrums to pieces. Even clapping my hands over my ears doesn't bring relieve. But it's not just my ears. It's my brain. The scream totally shatters any sort of control I might have had and I unintentionally set fire to the bedspread.

The flames rear up high for a moment then vanish. _What the…?_ I'm totally confused for a second. Then realization hits me. Pyro. He put out those flames. I stare at him, dumbfounded. Before I get the chance to contemplate this new turn of events, something else happens. The screaming, it stops at suddenly as it started.

I don't know what it was or where it came from, but the sudden silence freaks me out just as much as the noise itself. "Pyro, what–"

He cuts me off with a flick of his hand. "Quick," he jumps out of bed and heads for the door. "We need to get out of here!" I don't wait for further encouragement but dart right after him.

Out in the hallway, there's total chaos. Kids are running around everywhere, screaming and tripping over each other. I run after Pyro who's making good use of his elbows to barge our way through the crowd. We barely get more than a dozen or so paces though, before someone calls out, "John," I don't realize they mean Pyro and crash right into him when he stops dead in his tracks.

"Ouch, what the–" Bobby's voice cuts me off.

"Have you guys seen Marie?" He sounds worried. I scoff. _As if anything could happen to a girl who absorbs others' life energy_. Nevertheless, 'John' and I take off after Bobby, on the lookout for Rogue. It doesn't take long to find her. She's just around another turn, wearing nothing but a black nightdress. It contrasts starkly with her pale skin. I wouldn't wear it. Ever.

"Come on, this way!" she shouts motioning for us to follow her. We do, but end up running straight into a swat team of soldiers breaking through a round window. _What the hell? What's the military doing here? This is a School!_

I turn right on my heel, taking off at breakneck speed down the way we just came. The others follow. _So much for Rogue's lead_. I've no idea where I'm going, since I can barely find my way around the school in daylight, let alone in the dead of night, but we end up somewhere useful anyway. The first floor, near the kitchen.

Unfortunately, soldiers are waiting for us here also. I puff out my chest, making my arms and shoulders burst into flames ready for an attack. Turns out I wouldn't have needed to, though, because the moment the first soldiers lifts his rifle at me a feral scream breaks out from the gallery above us and Wolverine hurls himself over the edge, ramming clawed fists into the soldiers' chests.

Blood splatters and everyone stands frozen for a moment. I catch a glimpse of Rogue's face, the expression displaying pure terror. _Yes, it's not a pretty sight_. Now, if I was someone else – someone who hadn't been locked into a closet at the orphanage because I'm a mutant – I might have shared the feeling. But with things being the way they are, I don't feel particularly sorry for those humans. _They deserved what they got_.

Only Wolverine's gruff voice brings us back into motion. "Come on, let's get outta here," he throws open the front doors where we're immediately greeted by a helicopter's blinding headlamps. "Not this way." _Obviously_. He throws the doors shut again and heads down the way we just came stopping right in front of a bare stretch of wall.

I frown. "I might be mistaken, but I don't think now's exactly the time for resting." I say, motioning at the military outside our front door. Logan doesn't bother to answer me, but merely rams his shoulder against the wooden paneling which promptly slides back to reveal a secret passageway. _What the heck? Seriously, what kind of school is this?!_

"Get in, quick!" Wolverine gives me a shove in the back that sends me stumbling blindly into the passageway. Usually, I would have set his hair on fire for that, but with the military on our heels I don't mind. As soon as the others slipped in after me, Logan throws the latch shut.

"Wait, Logan!" Rogue thumps her fists against the latch. She's sounding perfectly panicked now. "We can't just leave him! They're gonna kill him!"

I scoff. "Man, he just killed an entire squad of soldiers by jumping off the gallery. I don't think they're gonna hurt him any time soon!" Indeed, I get the feeling, it's gonna be the other way around.

"Yeah, he can handle himself. Let's go!" Pyro agrees. We both stare at Rogue in a why-d'-you-even-care kind of way. She in turn looks imploringly at Bobby. _Great. Now she's sure gonna get her way_.

My suspicion proves right when Bobby makes a wall of ice grow between Logan and the soldiers. Though, that's not what detains him. It's Rogue's soothing words that finally make him turn around and follow us through the tunnel.

It seems like we're walkin for ages. Just when I start to wonder how much further we have to go, the tunnel comes to a sudden end and we come up in a garage. A huge garage. Full of the fanciest bikes and cars I've ever seen in my life. I stand frozen for a moment admiring a shiny black Porsche Cayman. The others, on the other hand, head straight for a bright blue Mazda RX. Why they would chose that car, if there's a Maserati just a dozen paces away is a mystery to me.

"I'm drivin!" Pyro says, heading for the front seat, but Wolverine shoves him away.

"Maybe next time." He growls through gritted teeth. In next to no time, we're all crammed into the sports car. Rogue and Wolverine up front and me lodged in the back between Pyro and Bobby. _Again, why did we get take a car with hardly any backseats if there's a limo just across the room?_

As soon as we're all inside though, we're faced with a new problem. "This is Cyclops's car." Bobby says. We don't have the keys.

"Oh yeah?" Now it might just be me, but I think there's a definitely satisfied edge to Logan's voice when he slides out his middle claw and starts up the car.

* * *

Soon we're speeding down a dark street. "What the hell was that?" I ask staring through the rear window at the copter still hovering above the school.

Unexpectedly, Logan answers, "Stryker. His name is Stryker."

"And who's he?"

"I can't remember." Logan's growl makes it clear, that he really doesn't want to talk about the subject, so I shut up.

I do. Pyro doesn't. After about five seconds of not talking, he leans forward, almost squashing me in his attempt to reach the radio. "I hate uncomfortable silences." he explains pressing a button. Instantly, loud and obnoxiously cheery pop music blasts from the speakers.

Everyone groans with dislike. "Gosh, Pyro, turn that shit off!" _Seriously, what kind of crap does Cyclops listen to?_ Nodding in agreement, he hits the next button. The music stops – thank God! – and a weird spacey looking cell phone thingy slides out of the control panel.

"I don't think that's the CD player." Pyro says. _Oh, really? Well, that's genius of you_.

"Sit back!" Wolverine orders, as he checks out the device – no one answers.

Feeling the tensed silence once more, I decide to get a few things straight. "Where are we going, anyways?" I ask.

"Storm and Jean are in Boston, that's where we're heading."

Logan's voice sounds as gruff and uninviting as ever, but Bobby speaks up anyway. "My parents live in Boston."

"Good."


	7. Try not to burn anything!

**Hey everyone :D Here goes the next chapter, hope you like it! And I'd like to really thank all my kind reviewers, you really make my day :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-MEN or the song BONFIRE HEART!**

* * *

**Bonfire Heart**

**Try not to burn anything!**

It is a long boring drive from Westchester, NY, to Boston and I fall asleep somewhere along the way, because next thing I know is Pyro shaking me awake. It takes me a moment to realize I'm lying across his chest. _Oh... Good_. I rub my eyes sleepily. "Are we there yet?" I ask.

We are. Bobby's neighborhood is so very prim and proper looking, with identical front gardens and porches, it makes me want to throw up. The inside of the house is even worse. Pastel colors and polished wood furniture. _Makes me wanna set the place on fire_.

"Mom, Dad, Ronny? Anyone home?" Bobby calls out. No answer. "Hang on, I'll find some clothes," Only then I realize he's still wearing boxers. _Whoa. How did I not notice that?! _Bobby turns once more, though, before disappearing upstairs. "Try not to burn anything." He says over his shoulder.

I pull a face at him. "I'll give my best." I growl. _Unless, you piss me off_.

* * *

As always, I go for the fridge first. Disappointingly though, it's filled to the top with nothing but beer. _Bloody alcoholics_. Grumbling under my breath, I head for the living room. I find Pyro staring glumly at something on the mantel piece. Pictures of Bobby and his family. I wince, knowing exactly what he feels like. Bad. Very bad and very lonely.

"Pretty bad, isn't it, huh?" I say stepping up beside him. "Perfect little Bobby's got everything. Control, a loving family, the ability to create… a girlfriend he can't touch," I turn to face him. "Come on, Mr. Brightside, you don't need that," I lean in, deliberately letting my breath whisper across his skin. "At least you can put kisses wherever you want." _If this doesn't distract Pyro from his gloom, I don't know what will_.

The answer to that bursts through the door about half a second later. In form of Bobby's brother and parents. They stare at us like we'd just sprouted an extra head each. _Most uncomfortable_. "Who are you? What are you doing in our house?" Bobby's dad asks, stepping protectively in front of his son and wife. _Seriously? We're just two kids. We don't look THAT dangerous_.

I'm about to utter something entirely stupid or – more likely – inappropriate, when Booby comes sprinting down the stairs. "Mom, Dad. I, um," he casts a glance at me and Pyro, probably knowing we're not gonna like his next words, "I, um, I gotta tell you something." _Crap. This is gonna suck_.

* * *

Ten minutes later, everyone's gathered in the Drake family's living room and Bobby's telling his story. To his defense, it's not a sob story. But his parents are still pretty shocked. "So," his mother says after a long awkward kind of silence. "When did you first know you were a…a…" She trails off not wanting to voice the word. _Coward_.

"A mutant?" Pyro supplies, clicking his lighter. Quite helpful, if you ask me.

Mrs. Drake doesn't share that opinion though. She gives him an annoyed look. "Will you cut that out." It is not a question. Pyro complies, snapping the lighter shut indignantly.

I glare at her. Now, my family might have been poor and they might have died more than ten years ago, but I'm pretty darn sure my mother would NEVER have told a guest at our house to 'cut that out'. Especially, if said guest had an unstable temper and the ability to control fire. It's just dumb.

For a second I contemplate snapping my fingers to light my thumb like lighter, but decide against it when Mr. Drake speaks up. "You have to understand, we thought Bobby was going to a school for the gifted."

"But Bobby is gifted!" This time it's Rogue to defend her boyfriend.

"We know that and we still love you Bobby," I scoff earning a dirty look from Mrs. Drake. _Sure you do. That's why you're staring at him like he had just grown an extra pair of eyes_. "It's just that this whole mutant problem is a little–"

"What mutant problem?" Logan demands, his gruff voice and angry glare having more of an effect than anything else.

"Complicated." She finishes. _Why do I get the feeling she meant to say something else in the first place?_

There's another tensed silence before Mr. Drake asks, "So, what kind of subject do you teach, Professor Logan?" _Professor Logan? How the freaking hell did Bobby make his parents believe that story?_

"Art." Is Logan's curt answer. I stare. _Art. Of all the things he could have said, it had to be art_. Obviously there's another awkward silence, following this pronouncement.

This time it's Rogue to bring the conversation back to life. Too bad, she's isn't particularly clever about avoiding tricky topics, though. "Well, you should see what Bobby can do."

And then Bobby does the stupidest possible thing. He freezes his mother's tea. "There's a lot more I can do." He says proudly. _The idiot_.

Not surprisingly, Mrs. Drake is lost for words. And who would blame her? Nobody likes having their tea frozen over. Nobody but the family cat, that is. It leaps right onto the table and starts licking away at the frozen semicircle of tea. Pyro chuckles, I grin. It sure is one of the cutest sights ever.

Unfortunately, the rest of the Drake's family doesn't seem quite so keen on Iceman's powers. His mother's hands are shaking, his dad looks dumbstruck and his brother storms right out of the room. "Ronny!" Mrs. Drake calls after her son dejectedly. He doesn't react and she sighs, "This is all my fault."

"Well, actually," I speak up, unable to let the opportunity pass, "They discovered that the males are the ones who carry the mutant gene and pass it on." My eyes flicker at Mr. Drake.

"That means it's his fault," Pyro adds an equally smug smile on his face. "Just in case anyone didn't get the hint yet."

For a moment it looks like Mrs. Drake is going to yell at us, but something distracts her before she gets the chance. A loud beeping noise. Everyone's head snaps towards Logan who takes a moment to realize that it's his phone making the noise. "Oh, it's for me." He says, pulling out the spacey looking cell and heading for the patio.

Bobby's mom seems hella relived that he's gone and she instantly relaxes. Turning toward her son, she says, "Bobby, have you ever tried not being a mutant?"

I snort. That is probably the stupidest question I've ever heard. Including that one time when a kid asked me if the fire I make is actually hot. "Seriously, that's not something you decide," I say, glaring at her. "It's just kinda who you are. You can't get rid of it," I pause, trying to find a good comparison. "That'd be like some of you decided to no longer be white." The words have barely left my mouth when I realize that does sound kinda racist. Especially, since I'm the only Hispanic and therefor non-white person in the room.


	8. Burned Alive

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you :D I hope you enjoy it! As always I would like to really thank my reviewers, because they're the ones I write this story for.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-MEN or the song BONFIRE HEART!**

* * *

**Bonfire Heart**

**Burned Alive**

Everyone stares. Even Rogue and Bobby looked shocked. _Yeah, that maybe was a little too much_.

Fortunately, though, Logan comes bursting back into the room at that very moment. "We need to leave. Now." He sounds grimmer than ever and his claws are sliding out, so I figure this must be serious and – for once in my life – don't argue.

As soon as we step out onto the porch, though, I realize 'serious' isn't quite the right word after all. The house is surrounded by police cars and two cops are standing on either side of the door pointing their guns at us. _Well, shit. This sure sucks_.

"Drop the knives and put your hands in the air!" The cop on the right commands. _Oh, sure_. I've never done what a cop told me to so far and I won't start doing it now. It's just not how I rule.

Nor, so it seems, does Wolverine. "What's goin' on here?" he demands. A question we would all like to have answered.

Unexpectedly, though, Bobby's the one who answers it. I can literally see realization dawning on his face. "Ronny." He says quietly, lifting his eyes to the upstairs windows. _Oh crap. That explains a lot_.

"This is just a misunderstanding." Logan tries to reason.

Without success. "Put the knives down!" The cop's yelling this time. _Well, could have told you that would happen. Never try to reason with a cop. Never_.

"I can't," It sounds like Wolverine's trying his best to stay calm. "Look." He lifts a hand for the cop to see and…

_BAM!_ The bullet strikes before any one of us can do so much as move. I watch in horror, as Wolverine's lifeless body drops to the ground. _He killed him_. _He fucking killed him!_ Fear starts swelling in my chest, making my palms grow hot. _Oh hell, this can't be good_.

The cop looks no less scared than I am at his deed. "Now the rest of you, on the ground!" he bellows, trying to keep his voice from shaking. And that's when I realize. _He's scared of us!_ Instantly, fear turns into anger, swamping me like a butterfly in a snowstorm. _Bloody, narrow minded humans. They killed Logan. They raided the school. They hate us. And I hate them! _

"Look, I said on the ground!" The cop repeats with a strain in his voice.

"We don't wanna hurt you!" The woman on the left hand side adds.

I snort. "Sure that's why just shot our teacher!" I snap at her.

"Bonfire, don't make it any worse!" Bobby and Rogue are already sinking to the ground on either side of me. _Pyro?_ Not so much. _Me?_ Hell can freeze over before I get onto my knees for THEM!

I look at Pyro, who has a similar expression on his face and sneer. "You know all those dangerous mutants they talk about on TV?" I ask innocently, lettin my palm burst into flames and holding it out for Pyro. "That's us."

For a second he just stares, then a sneer starts spreading over his face. "And we're the worst of all." He finishes, letting the flames spring over to his hand as well.

And that's the moment when things escalate. I'm totally out of control. Not the fire, I mean, but the anger. It's burning me up from the inside. _Freaking, bigot humans! They think they're the kings of evolution, but their nothing more than insects. The kind that makes you wanna crush them with your boots! They're the ones who make us hide. They are the ones who kicked me out of seven schools, just because I wasn't like them. They deserve to be burned alive! The whole lot of them_.

Punching a fist in the direction of the cop, I shoot a salve of flame at him. A rushing sound and a terrified screech from the left indicate that Pyro just did the same to the woman. _Good_. The cars are next. Setting them alight just doesn't seem enough, so I let giant wall of fire roll over them like a landslide. Pyro's adding explosions to the inferno, hurling cars high into the air.

I know, I shouldn't feel proud, but just I can't help a feeling of deep satisfaction swelling in my chest. _This is what they deserve_.

Then suddenly the stream of fire flowing from my fingers disappears. I flick my hand, trying to relight it but nothing happens. _What the…?_ For a moment I don't know what's going on but then a sucking feeling hits my gut making me hunch over. Something is sucking away my powers.

Instantly, fear swamps me. That alone should have been enough to set the whole street on fire, but nothing happens. All the flames around us dissipate but I'm too scared to even care. I snap my fingers, desperately trying to light them, but I can't. Not when it feels like one half of me is literally bleeding out.

Finally, I can no longer hold myself upright and topple to the ground. The draining feeling disappears and I lie gasping on the ground for a couple of long moments. Only then I realize, what sucked away my powers. Rogue was holding onto my bare ankle. _Damn it. I never should have worn shorts!_

Under normal circumstances, I would have set her hair on fire as soon as I recovered, but Logan waking up somewhat distracts me. _What the hell? Didn't he just die?_ That and the giant aircraft landing in the Drake's front garden. _Holy crap! I'm either hallucinating or I'll sure have detention for the rest of my life now_.

Logan throws a dirty look over his shoulder. "You did that, kid?"

_Obviously_. "You know, it's not ALWAYS me." I defend myself.

Logan scoffs. "Sure."

* * *

As we head for the jet, I catch Bobby looking wistfully up at his family. _Yeah, I guess he won't see THEM in a while_.

Inside, we're all caught by surprise, when we see another mutant sitting in one of the seats behind Jean. Now, I've seen a lot of strange people, in the last couple of days, but that man… he just tops them all. His hair and skin are dark blue, with scarred lines crisscrossing all over his face and hands (and probably the rest of his body). He's got golden eyes, fanglike teeth, pointed ears, and… _Hell, is that a tail?!_

Despite everyone's staring, the man remains friendly. "Guten Tag!" That is definitely not English. More like, I don't know… German?

"Who is this?" Logan doesn't sound too pleased about this new company.

"Kurt Wagner. But in the Munich circus I was known as the Incredible Nightcrawler!" Ah, so he IS German. That explains the heavy accent, at least.

"Yeah, save it." Logan grumbles. Nightcrawler looks put off. _Poor guy_.

"Don't mind Logan," I say trying to cheer him up. "He's like that all the time. An ass, I mean." I actually mean to say more, but shut up as soon as the jet leaves the ground. The bumpy take off makes my stomach churn. _God, how I hate flying!_

* * *

For a while nothing too exciting happens – apart from the fact that I have to squeeze my eyes shut every time Jean touches the steering wheel. But then Storm detects to military jets coming at us. "Unidentified aircraft, you're ordered to descend to 20,000 feet," the voice from the speaker orders. "We'll escort you to Hanscom Air Force Base. You have ten seconds to comply."

"Well, somebody's angry." Storm comments, concern on her face.

Logan scoffs. "And I wonder why." He turns looking pointedly over his shoulder at Pyro and me. I pull a face at him. _Hey, he's the one who let himself be shot and set me off in the first place_.

I might even have argued, but the voice from the speaker interrupts me. "We're coming up alongside you. Escort you to Hanscom Air Force Base. Lower your altitude now," We don't. "Repeat. Lower your altitude to 20,000 feet. This is your last warning." Again, we don't.

For a moment, I think the two jets are falling back, but then an alarming beeping noise starts up front in the cockpit. "They're markin' us!" _Well, crap. Someone's serious about this_.

"Hang on!" Storm barks. "We gotta shake them!" Now, generally I'm fine with that plan, only the way HOW we're shaking them doesn't sit well with me. The jet plunges forward, nearly throwing everybody out of their seats, then rolls over sideways like a screw before leveling out once more.

"Please don't do that again!" Pyro says. He looks shaken.

"I agree." Logan adds.

_ME TOO! _I want to scream, but I keep my mouth shut. I really don't trust myself to speak right now.

Despite all the rolling and dodging, though, the military is still following us. "Don't we have any weapons in here?" Logan yells. The answer to that comes when Storm clouds her eyes. The sky instantly gets dark and funnel clouds reach down from it like fingers. Unfortunately, this does not only detain the military jets, but also makes our jet rock like a bronco at rodeo.

After a while, we lose both jets and the sky clears once more. "Everyone okay, back there?" Jean asks.

"Yes." says Iceman.

"No." says Logan. I don't say anything. If I open my mouth right now, I'll probably puke burning lava all over the place. We don't want that.

As soon as the clouds have fully disappeared though, we realize, there's another problem. Missiles. Two of them.

This time, it's Jean to take care of the threat, making one of them explode on itself. One of them. The other one's still coming at us.


	9. Burning Down

**Hey guys! finally the next chapter, hope you enjoy it! As always: thanks so much to all my kind reviewers, I love you guys :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-MEN or the song BONFIRE HEART!**

* * *

**Bonfire Heart**

**Burning down**

CRASH! The second missile hits us full force, making the jet buck forward and tearing a huge whole into the back half. My hair is whipped back and I feel my body straining against the seatbelts. _Thank God, I fastened those the moment I sat down!_

I did. Rogue didn't. With a terrified scream, she is sucked right out of the jet, whirling through air like a feather in a tornado. "Rogue!" Bobby sounds even more shocked than her. For a moment, it looks like he's gonna jump out right after her, but someone beats him to it.

There's a soft BAMPF and Nightcrawler disappears in a cloud of black smoke. _What the heck? Where did he go? _A second later, he reappears up front in the cockpit with Rogue clutched tightly in his arms. _Oh, I get it! He's a teleporter!_

The relief that Rogue's save only lasts a minute, though. Because the jet gives another violent lurch, its nose tipping forward towards the ground. _Oh shit!_ A very girly kind of screech escapes my lips as I squeeze my eyes shut tight. Gripping the armrests of the seat so hard my knuckles turn white I try to think positive. _We're not gonna crash._ _We're not gonna die. Just stay_…

The jet gives another tremble and I give up on staying calm. Fear is clutching my chest and paralyzing my brain. _Oh my God, we're gonna crash! We're gonna die! I'm gonna set the thing on fie before we even touch the ground!_

I can feel the fire starting up underneath my skin. A stray spark flies from my left eye setting my hair on fire. "Make it stop!" I yell, my voice sounding shrill and panicked. Another spark escapes my left index this time setting alight my arm. "Make it stop! I'm losing control!" Indeed, I am. I try to brush off the flames from my arm, but they stick to my hand crackle merrily on my palm. "MAKE. IT. STOP!" I scream at the top of my voice, squeezing my eyes shut just as yet another spark flies from the skin directly above my heart.

It should have made my whole body burst into flames, but somehow it doesn't. Tentatively, I open my eyes. The spark is still there, hovering an inch above my chest. Then it winks out. _What the hell? How's that possible?!_ Next, I feel a slight pressure on my right hand and watch in amazement as the flames start to die down.

Only when they're fully extinct and the fire on my head is put out in the same way, I realize what's going on. _Pyro_. He's got a hand outstretched in my direction and is forcing the fire to go out.

All of a sudden, I'm no longer scared. We're still hurtling towards the ground at breakneck speed but somehow I feel… save. As the flames on my left arm abate I smile at Pyro. Not a smirk or sneer, just a genuine kind of smile. He grins back at me.

_This is so gonna work out!_

Then another strange thing happens. There's a loud crunching noise and the jet starts to slow down. _What the heck? How can we be slowing down when we're FALLING?!_ Even stranger than that, the back of the jet starts folding in on itself, closing the hole torn by the missile. _What the freaking hell is happening?_

Storm seems to be wondering the same thing. "Jean?" she asks, obviously thinking it's her doing.

"It's not me." No, it's that man on the ground holding the jet in the air with his hand.

* * *

As it turns out the man who saved everyone is called Magneto and – obviously – he can manipulate metal. He is also the leader of the so-called Brotherhood of Mutants, though, it currently only consists of him and one other mutant. A blue-skinned lady with dark red hair who can imitate any person on earth. They call her Mystique.

Right now she, Magneto, Logan, Storm and everyone else who's 'important' are having a 'serious' discussion by the campfire. The campfire I made and I'm not allowed to go near to now. _Bloody grown-ups_.

Sighing, I head over to the others. Bobby's putting up the tents, Rogue is talking to Nightcrawler – thanking him, probably – and Pyro's just sitting around, messing with his lighter. _Helpful as always_. I sit down on the ground next to him. "So, um," I want thank him for helping me control the fire, but somehow thanking, apologizing and begging have never been one of my strong suits. It always sounds stiff and awkward when I say stuff like that. I try anyway, "I just… I… Thanks. For earlier, I mean." _Yep, that doesn't sound awkward at all_.

He quirks an eyebrow at me. "No prob," Then he smirks. "I did it to save all of us, you know. Figured, there wouldn't be much chance of surviving, if you burned down the jet."

"Hey!" I punch him in the shoulder for that one. _That ass. Might as well get him back for that_. "Oh, really?" I say, "Then I figure, I don't owe you after all."

I watch as his expression changes from smugness to puzzlement. "Owe me?" he asks lamely.

"Yeah, I thought you might like me to pay you back a little, you know." I lean forward intentionally giving Pyro a good view into my low neckline. He gulps. I smirk. _Gotcha Fireboy_.

"I… I thought…" Pyro's too dumbstruck to string two words together. "I mean… You still owe me!" _Now, I wonder where that change of mind came from all of a sudden_.

"Shut up, you moron!" I laugh, punching him again. "Hang on I'll be right back!" I run off without another word.

Before I get more than a dozen paces, I run right into Storm. She smiles brightly at me. _Seriously, why's she always so damn happy?_ "Oh, hi Bonfire! I've got good news. We found out where we're heading next," Somehow, she forgets to mention exactly where that is. "In the mean time, would you mind sharing a tent with Rogue?"

I gape at her. "Do WHAT?"

"Share a tent with Rogue." Storm repeats totally oblivious to my shocked expression.

I shake my head at her. "I won't do that," Never ever am I gonna share a tent with Rogue. Not after that stunt at Bobby's house.

Storm frowns. "Look, I see why you don't wanna be near her, but we don't have enough tents for everyone to have their own."

That's not what I was implying either. "Come on, let her and Bobby share a tent. Nothing's gonna happen anyway. He can't even touch her." _Probably better for him, anyway_.

Storm raises an eyebrow at me. "And I suppose you're volunteering to share a tent with Pyro then?"

"Well, something's sure gonna happen with THAT combination!" Wolverine bellows from somewhere behind me. "They're gonna burn down the forest at the very least!"

"No, I'm not!" I defend myself. Even as the anger sparks the fire inside me to life. But then a sudden thought strikes me. "Indeed, I think, pairing us up can prevent just that," They both stare at me like what the hell are you suggesting. "No, honestly. You said yourself that I tend to set fire to things while I'm asleep. And we all saw what happened on the jet. If anything happens, he can control it."

Storm blinks a couple of times as if thinking hard. Long moments pass in silence. Finally, Storm seems to reach a conclusion. "Fine," she says. "You two can share a tent – share a tent and nothing else!"


	10. No setting things on fire!

**Hey everyone! Thanks for the Reviews faves and follows, I'm so happy to see that people like my fic! So, here goes the next chapter, have fun reading it! :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-MEN or the song BONFIRE HEART!**

* * *

**Bonfire Heart**

**No setting things on fire!**

I'm lying on my back in the tent staring up at the ceiling when the flap opens and Pyro comes in. "So," he says with a smirk on his face. "A little bird told me that you convinced Storm to let us share a tent," _Yeah, wonder what that bird looked like_. "I like that," He finishes, crawling over.

Before I even know what's going on, he's got me pinned to the ground. "So, what about that payback you were talking about?"

I smirk up at him, setting my lashes on fire. "You do realize," I say, "That this tent is flammable. And that the fire is gonna shine through the canvas, not to mention the noi–" Pyro's lips plunging down onto mine say only too clearly that he doesn't give a freaking damn about people hearing. Or seeing for that matter.

And as Pyro's hands slip under my shirt, it turns out, neither do I. (just for the record, we do use protection. Don't wanna set any wrong examples here.)

* * *

The next morning, when we climb the stairs into the jet Pyro and I run into a very grumpy-looking Wolverine. He gives us the death stare. "Did you two sleep AT ALL last night?"

It takes me a moment to realize what he means, but when I do, a smirk spreads over my face. Logan had the tent next to ours. "Well, you obviously didn't." I say grinning from ear to ear. Seriously, he of all people should be able to handle a little noise. And various blasts of fire.

Inside the jet, Bobby and Rogue are admiring the X-Men jumpsuits. Hideous blue and black things, if you ask me. "How come we don't have uniforms?" Rogue asks, just as I walk in. _Why would she want THOSE?_

"They're on order," Logan replies gruffly. "They'll arrive in a few years." _Not if I can prevent_ _it_.

In the back, Magneto and Mystique are having a great time, giggling their heads off. _And people call me childish_. Every now and then, they point at Rogue. She turns in their direction, eyebrows raised. Magneto gives her a jovial smile. "Oh, Mystique and I love what you've done to your hair." Though for once in my life I agree with Magneto, it's still a bit rich of a naked woman and guy with a cape, to judge other people's fashion choices. Rogue seems to share my opinion. Scowling like Wolverine on a bad day, she tucks off one of her white gloves and takes a step towards the other mutant.

"Rogue, don't," Bobby grabs her arm, preventing her from doing anything else. "Let's go." I snort. _THAT would not have stopped ME_. But then again, No one would have tried to stop me either. It would just be damned stupid.

That makes a new thought come to mind. I jerk my chin at Magneto's gear. "That's a pretty dorky lookin' helmet." I say. In fact, 'dorky' is still an understatement. It looks more like something Marvel comic heroes would wear than something a grown man would – no, should – own.

Magneto raises his eyebrows at me. "That 'dorky' looking helmet is the only thing that's gonna protect me from the bad guys." He answers coldly.

"They say you're the bad guy." Pyro joins the conversation.

Magneto turns to face him. "Is that what they say?" Pyro nods.

He stretches out his hand making the lighter fly from Pyro's grasp. Pyro scowls. More like a pit bull whose favorite bone has been taken than anything else. Magneto's not impressed, though. "What's your name?" he asks.

"John." Pyro answers flatly. I frown. He didn't tell me his birth name first.

Magneto clicks the lighter open. "What's your real name, John?"

The scowl fades from Pyro's features as the flame flies over into his palm. "Pyro."

Magneto's eyebrows almost disappear under his hairline as he stares at the flickering light. "Quite some talent you got there, Pyro." He mutters.

That bitter expression I've seen before crosses over Pyro's face. "I can only manipulate the fire," he extincts the flame by closing his hand. "I can't create it." Again, he should not feel bitter about that. It's a blessing that he doesn't burn everything he touches. Unlike me. I burned down my house, my family, my town, my orphanage, my school… the list could go on forever.

Magneto seems to be thinking something along the same line, though, because he frowns at Pyro and says, "You're a god among insects. Never let anyone tell you anything else." This seems to reassure Pyro.

For me, I'm not really sure whether it's supposed to be a compliment or an insult. Still, it perks my interest. "What about me?" I cut in, "Am I worth that title?" I flip my hand, setting the palm on fire.

Magneto nods appreciatively. "Quite impressive. Can you control it is as well?"

I shrug, letting the flame form into a tap-dancing Mickey Mouse. "Most o' the time," I say, "Unless I get scared. Or angry. Or any other kind of emotional… which happens, like, four times a day."

"Interesting," Magneto murmurs, "He controls it. You create it. Well, you two would make the most fantastic sort of team."

I smirk at Pyro. "That's what we've been thinkin'."

* * *

Long, boring hours later, we arrive at Alkali Lake. Storm's got a holographic model of some underground military facility that's making me wonder where people got all that technology from. She goes on lecturing about different entrances and chamber and so on. I yawn. _Gosh, that lady has a talent for boring people to death. Are we even sure that's not her real mutation?_

There's brief discussion about who's getting to go inside. "I'll go," Logan says. "I've got a hunch they want me alive." _Well, that does sound promising_.

"Wolverine," Magneto cuts in, "Whoever goes in there needs to be able to operate the spillway mechanism. What do you intend to do. Scratch it with your claws?"

Another venomous Wolverine scowl. "I'll take my chances." _And that sounds even more promising. Honestly, why are they even having this discussion?!_

They exchange furious glares, but in the end, Mystique's the one who ends up infiltrating the dam. In less than ten minutes. She's got the spillway open for the rest to enter. _Damn it, she's good_.

But she's not the only one and I'm eager to prove it. Jumping from my seat, I beam at everyone. "Come on, let's go!"

All eyes turn on me. Stern eyes. _What did I do wrong this time?_ Wolverine is the one to tell me. "We go. You don't." he says with a graveyard look on his face. Even more graveyard than usual, I mean.

My jaw literally drops down to the ground. "You don't mean that, do ya?!"

"Yes, we do," Storm confirms, "You, John, Bobby and Rogue are gonna stay here, where it's safe."

I stare. "Safe?! I burned down Ice Cube's house less than a day ago! No place with me in it safe!"

"THAT is true!" I hear Pyro's voice behind me. _Thanks Fireball_.

"Besides, why do YOU need to go in anyway? Kurt could just beam inside, get the kids out and I could set the whole place on fire." Kurt opens his mouth to say something but lift a flaming hand to shut him up.

Storm glares. _Wow, I didn't even know she could do that_. "You are staying here. No discussion. And no setting things on fire!"


	11. Charred Remains

**Hello everyone! First of all, a big thank you to all my kind reviewers! It really bugs me that I cannot respond to guest reviews, since you gave me some great ideas with your suggestions (that's why this chapter's a Little longer than the others). I did put in a little Bobby/Rogue BUT it is probably not gonna be the sort of interaction you guys were thinking of *chuckles evilly*. Also, sadly I couldn't come up with three chapters with them in the Jet, but at least they're staying in it a bit longer than I first planned. So anyways, I hope you enjoy it!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-MEN or the song BONFIRE HEART!**

* * *

**Bonfire Heart**

**Charred Remains**

THUNK. The knife thuds into the rubber padding between two wall panels. For the 176 time in a row. "This is so boring!" I complain, "That target isn't even moving," I look expectantly at the others. "Anyone wanna volunteer?" Rogue gives me a cold look and Bobby lets his face freeze over. _Oh well, I guess not_.

"Man, this sucks," Pyro joins in wailing after another ten throws (and hits). "Why are we even sitting here, I mean?" he shoots a burst of flame after my knife searing the padding. The pungent smell of burnt rubber assaults my nostrils. And everyone else's, no doubt. I smirk. _Storm's not gonna like that one bit_.

Apparently, neither does Rogue, though. She gives me an icy look that almost rivals Wolverine's. "Are you two ever gonna stop whining? Or wrecking the jet?"

Pyro and I look at each other with raised eyebrows. "Never." We say in unison.

Rogue shakes her head at us. "You are in sufferable! Both of you!" There's cold fury in her voice and I can tell she means every word of what she's saying. Now, you'd think I should feel insulted or at least hurt by that but actually I'm not. _What do I care about Rogue liking me? Precisely nothing_. Still, I shut up, at least for the time being, because I don't like being accused of whining. It's just not what I do. I lived on the streets for years. I don't whine. I give negative feedback.

There's another long silence (in which I manage to hit the crack between the panels another 34 times). Then, all of a sudden, Pyro speaks up, "That's it," he growls, putting on his jacket, "I'm sick of this 'kids' table' shit!" _And I could not agree more_.

"Wait, John! They told us to wait here?" Rogue calls out.

He lifts his eyebrows at her. "So what?" Then he turns to face me. "You comin'?"

I snort. "You bet I am!" I growl pulling my leather jacket off its hook by the wall. I throw my knife at the button that opens the latch, hitting it hilt first. Pyro draws back his hand reflexively, giving me a stop-trying-to-sever-my-hand kind of look. I merely shrug. _Gotta keep practicing somehow_.

I intend to go outside, but don't get very far. A solid wall of ice freezes over the hatchway before I've gone more than two paces. I stare. _He didn't actually just do that, did he? _He did. Iceman's hand's on the far wall with tendrils of frozen water spreading all over it. He's trying to stop us. _The idiot_.

Pyro turns around slowly to face Bobby. "What the HELL is that supposed to be?!" he asks with murder in his eye.

Iceman's not to be bothered, though. He looks calmly over to us. "You aren't leaving." He says firmly. _Man, that guy's really looking for trouble, ain't he? _

I raise my eyebrows at him. "And why would you think that glacier's gonna stop us?" I ask. Surely he didn't forget Pyro and I almost burned down his house less than a day ago. He has seen our powers. Ice certainly isn't the way to stop us.

Bobby shrugs. "It's worth a try. Besides, you'd just get all of us into trouble." _Ah, so there's the rub. Doesn't wanna end up in detention, Iceman_. _Well, that's so not gonna happen_.

"Well, hate to disappoint you, but we are leaving." With that I set my palm on fire and hold it out for Pyro. He smirks and starts to melt a growing hole into the ice.

But Bobby apparently is not one to give up just like that. _Damn it, Iceman! _He shoots a glare in Pyro's direction and I can literally feel a wave of cold washing over the room. The ice stops melting. Pyro's smirk falters. "Stop it Bobby!" He growls through gritted teeth. He lets a flame fly into his other hand and holds it up warningly at Bobby. _This is getting out of hand_. I need to do something.

Glowering, I ram my palm against the wall paneling. And am instantly compelled to draw it back. The metal is freezing. Well, I'll help that! Letting out a long breath, I let a surge of heat rush down my arm and into the wall. It glows faintly for a moment and this time it's Bobby to draw back his hand, fingers burnt.

I wince. "Sorry, Drumstick. Didn't mean to do that," I pause "But you DID bring it onto yourself." _Wrong thing to say_. Bobby glares at me. Then punches his fist against the wall with such force, he leaves a dent in it. Crap, that guy is strong! Another wave of cold runs through the wall, but I fight it and slowly, really slowly the hole in the glacier is growing again.

I am almost about to proclaim fire's victory over ice, when I see Rogue moving toward me. _What is she on about? She can't help Bobby like I'm helping Pyro. Wait… she wouldn't try to hit me, would she? She's not stupid._ But that's certainly what it seems like to me, because she's heading straight for me. Until…

"Oh no, you don't!" Pyro's got his lighter out and he's forming a solid wall of flame between me and Rogue. "You go suck out someone else's life!"

Only then I get it. _Absorbing. Like at Bobby's place_. I shudder. I do not want to experience anything like that ever again! The nerve of her, trying to do it again! Glowering, I send another wave of heat into the wall, my fingernails glowing white with the heat.

Turns out I wouldn't have needed, though. Bobby's distracted – probably by the wall of flame threatening his damsel in distress – and with all the extra heat Pyro's finally managed to make the hole big enough for us to get through. _Gosh, finally!_

* * *

Outside it is snowy and grey and overall rather uncomfortably cold. Especially, since I'm still wearing those blasted shorts. Shivering, I pull my jacket tighter around me and let a surge of fire run along just underneath my skin. It helps somewhat. But it also lowers the bar for unexpectedly setting things alight. Not exactly good when heading straight into trouble. _Oh well, let's just hope no one's going to piss me off any time soon_.

To get my mind off things, I try start a conversation. "So where d' you reckon we should go?" I ask Pyro. "'Cause I don't really fancy running into Storm and Wolverine. They're just gonna be pissed we didn't stay in the jet and…"

OU! Before I even get to finish my sentence, a blinding headache explodes in my head, knocking me clean off my feet. It's not unlike the screaming at the mansion right before the raid, only without sound and about a million times worse. It feels like my brain is tearing itself apart and my eardrums have turned into stone and my blood started boiling and… I'm setting everything on fire. My whole body is going up in flames, melting the snow all around me and scorching the ground underneath. But I don't even notice. All I know is the pain in my head. Pain like I never felt before.

Trees some twenty feet away are bursting into flames and I can't stop it. _Pain_. I can't even string two thoughts together. _Too much pain_. There is no chance of me controlling that fire. Only this time Pyro's not gonna do it either. He's lying on the ground next to me, twisting and clutching his head. He's experiencing the same pain as I am and is in no condition to help me. _No control… Pain… too much pain_…

That's when I lose it and start to scream. One shrill unbroken note of terror. Screaming's not something I usually do since it would be showing fear or weakness, but at this moment I can't help it. My eyes roll back into my head and I clasp my hands to my temples but it's no use whatsoever. There's only pain. Pain and screaming and more pain and more screaming and screaming and … _Wait where did the pain go?_

I stop screaming at once. I lie gasping on the ground for some time, like a fish out of the water. Slowly, the fire around me abates. I still don't feel like moving time soon, though. "Bon?" Pyro's voice sounds all raspy. Whether it's cause of the pain or all the smoke we created, I don't know. "You alright, Bon?"

"I guess." I croak back. Apart from the fact that I just burned down half of the trees around the lake, I mean. There's the sound of Pyro getting up slowly and crawling over to me. He looks all white and shaken. "You don't look okay." he says, frowning at me. _Does he actually sound worried?_

Despite being severely shaken, I still manage to snort indignantly. "Well, you don't look your best either!" I bite back. If there is one thing I cannot stand – apart from principals, planes and waiting – it is not looking pretty.

Pyro smirks at me apparently already halfway back to his old, cocky self. "Yeah, but at least my hair isn't smoking anymore." He says jerking his chin at me curls.

"Hey!" I swat him playfully and finally manage to get up. "Woah! Did I do that?" The level of destruction around us is something, not even I have caused ever before. The snow is gone, leaving instead charred patches of grass, some of them still smoking, and all the trees at a hundred yard radius are burnt down. _Good thing there are no houses around here_.

Pyro shrugs. "Dunno. Might have helped you with some o' that." Ah, so that headache didn't just make ME lose control, after all. Good to know.

Still, one question remains, "What the hell was that, anyway? The headache, I mean." Seriously, I have no idea what it could have been… Actually, I'm not even sure if I really wanna know about it either. It just seemed so… so very damn powerful.

_Pyro seems to be agreeing with me on that matter. He stares glumly in the direction of the underground facility. "That," he says in his best doomsday voice, "Was the Professor."_


	12. Kindling the Flames

**Hi guys! Here you go, the *gasp* last chapter of Bonfire Heart! I hope you like it and I'd like to thank you all for reading this far. And of course anothetr special thanks to all my reviewers and to those of you who favorited several of my stories. Also, I'm planning a sequel, only that I'm kinda caught up in studying at the moment (German graduations exams are HELL!) So if you want to sty tuned for that sequel, you should probably follow this Story, cause I'm sure gonna post any news up here.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own X-MEN or the song BONFIRE HEART!**

* * *

**Bonfire Heart**

**Kindling the Flames**

I stare. "The Professor? OUR Professor?" _He's not serious about that, is he?_

He is. "The very one." Pyro says as if announcing the end of the world.

"But… But," I struggle to come up with something to prove him wrong, "He wouldn't do that, would he? … Could he?" Pyro gives me a look. Right, he's a telepath. And the head of a mutant school. If he can't do it no one can. Makes it even more disconcerting. "Alright… then what d' you reckon we should do? I mean, I'm sure not gonna stick around for Storm to tell us off for that." I motion vaguely at the charred landscape around us. That, and I'm scared of whatever caused the Professor to nearly kill us with that headache.

Pyro shakes his head. "No. Me neither."

We stare at each other for a while – both waiting for the other one to come up with something. Neither of us does. _So much for having great ideas in stressful situations_.

Then, quite suddenly, I hear something. I cock my head in the direction. "Hear that sound? Is that…?"

"A helicopter!" Pyro blurts. We exchange a quick glance and then, without waiting for further invitation, we both take off running in the direction of the copter.

I don't know what it's doing here or who might be piloting it, but whoever it is, it's sure better to look for them, than just stand here waiting for Storm's lecture. If it's the military, we might even be able to get back at them for that raid at the school. Set their hair on fire or something. I smile to myself. _That'd be prime_.

* * *

As it turns out half a minute later, though, it is not the military after all. It is Magneto and his ever so nude sidekick – though they are borrowing a military copter, it seems. Well, not as fun as setting a squad of soldiers on fire, but it could be worse. It could be Storm. That'd be bad.

Pyro on the other hand seems to be thinking along more pragmatic kinda lines. Less revenge, more useful thoughts. "What the hell are those two up to? And where 're the others?" he asks, a look of concern creeping onto his face. _Oh. Good question, actually_. Not that I didn't notice Wolverine and a bunch of kids missing, but… let's just say, there were other things I noticed first. Like a wrinkle on Magneto's cape.

Just then Magneto sees us staring up at him and Mystique. A small, evil smile crosses over his face. _What the hell IS he up to? You never know with that man. _He says something to Mystique who turns off the motor. As the rotor of the copter slows to a halt, Magneto pops open the door and gives us a jovial smile. "Well, well, well, who do we have here?" _Us, obviously_. "The two fire-taming mutants, how very interesting," _Well, that's not the way I would have put it_. "How can I help you?"

I'm about to answer something like "By moving your butt back into that copter and leaving us alone.", but Pyro beats me to it. Except he says it in a friendlier way. "Well, you could tell us where you're going," He looks up at Magneto with his eyes narrowed. "Or where you left the others." His face is hard and his voice is icy. He is damned serious about this. _Best not to interfere_.

Magneto heaves a huge sigh. "Well, I'm afraid they're still trying to save humanity. Pity. It'll be such a waste of time."

I frown at Magneto. "How's humanity in need of saving?" Somehow I feel like we should have noticed something like that going on.

A smile crosses over Magneto's face. "Remember that headache that nearly killed everyone?" I grimace. _How could I not remember that? It made me burn down a forest_. "Well, it was supposed to wipe out mutant kind. We redirected it," he pauses for effect, "At the humans,"

I am stunned. We both are. _Humans caused that headache. They wanted to kill every mutant on earth_. _How could they? How could ANYONE plan such a thing?_

"You see why we did not care to join the X-Men on their quest for mutant equality. No, what we're aiming for is much greater than that…" Magneto trails off, looking at Pyro.

He's silent for a moment staring at the snow in front of him, but then his head snaps up and with his voice full of fury he growls, "Mutant superiority."

The jovial smile is back in place as Magneto says, "Indeed. And you are free to join us on our mission any time," He extends his arm at this, indicating the helicopter's latch, "Just remember that anyone who isn't on our side is on the other one."

He need not have bothered adding that, for Pyro's already jumping up next to him. "I'm in." he says firmly, but his eyes are latched onto mine. I glare at him. _How dare he?! He could at least have asked what I wanted to do!_ Not that I wanted to do anything different in the first place, but still… I don't like being ignored like that.

Magneto notices my glare and raises his eyebrows at me. "Well, who would have guessed?" He shakes his head sorrowfully. "I thought you of all people would not play minion to those traitorous X-Men."

I snap. "I do NOT play minion to anyone!" I yell at him, "Not now and not ever!"

"Yet you don't deny that the X-Men are traitors." The tiniest of smiles crosses over Magneto's wizened face. "You know that mutants and humans will never get along. You know it. You have seen it."

I can tell Magneto's trying to manipulate me, but he does have a point. How many times did I get shunned for being a mutant? How often did I end up locked in that closet for setting my hair on fire? How many times did I swear to burn down every fucking human because they never accepted me? The answer is simple. A lot of times.

I shoot another glare in the direction of Magneto and Pyro. Two major instincts are fighting inside me. On the one hand I'm mad at Pyro for practically running off like that and Magneto's not to be trusted in the first place, but then again, I do hate humans above all and – even though I'd never admit it – I want to stay with Pyro.

That side wins over in the end. "Fine," I snap, jumping up beside him. "But if you EVER run off like that again," I punch my finger into Pyro's chest for emphasize, "I swear, I'll make you very, very sorry for it!"

* * *

Within ten minutes we're off. Hovering above Alkali Lake. Pyro and I are standing by a window looking down at the charred remains of what once was a forest. _Pretty grand what we did there_.

Just as Mystique turns the helicopter around, I make out people streaming from the dam. One of them is dark blue. A wave of relieve washes over me like a hot bath. _They made it!_ Though I'd never admit it, I'm glad that the others are safe.

I cast a sideways look at Pyro and from the look on his face, he's glad, too. He catches me looking, though, and glares. "What?" he asks defiantly. Ah, right, apparently I'm not the only one who wouldn't admit that.

I shrug. "Jus' wondering if you're gonna miss 'em." I say nonchalantly.

He snorts. "Are you?" There's a look on his face that says only too clearly that I'd better not.

I could have snorted or snapped at him or I could have given him a raised-eyebrows-you-don't-think-that's-gonna-happen kinda look, but I don't. Instead, I just shrug and get back to staring out of the window. "Guess not," I glance at him. "But then, I've only known them for, like, three days. You've lived there for…" I trail off. _How long has Pyro lived at Xavier's? He never told me_.

"Years." He supplies, filling in the silence. _Gosh, Pyro, don't overwhelm me with so much detail!_

I don't say anything, though, but just stand there silently for some time. After a while I ask him again. "Are you gonna miss them?"

Pyro takes a long shaky breath. "Maybe," _Ha, I knew it!_ "But it doesn't matter," He wraps his arms around my waist. "I don't need them. I've got you now." I stand there dumbstruck. _Certainly didn't expect that, did I?_

But then I smile. "And, mind you, better keep it that way!" I say, winking at him and thereby sending a flurry of sparks falling from my lashes.

Pyro grins back at me. "Certainly will!" he says, winking back and making the sparks explode into a tiny bonfire.

I smile. And I smash my lips onto Pyro's, igniting a whole firework in our mouths. _This is so gonna work out!_

* * *

**So, guys, goodbye for now! Hope to see you again soon on some other story of mine :D**


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